Electronic equipment uses memory devices, for example, flash memories, for storing data or information. In a memory system, a memory controller programs a selected flash memory device by transmitting data to a page buffer in a selected flash memory device where it is stored temporarily. Programming of the data from the page buffer into in the flash memory commences and the programming result is verified and a verify result is produced as “pass” or “fail”. Program and verify operations are performed several times for a “program time” specified period. After the program time, in the event of failure, the data is re-loaded from the memory controller to resume the page program operation in the same selected device.
A drawback is that flash memories require a long program time, for example, to verify the program status. The memory inside of the memory controller must hold the initial program data in order to recover the original program data in the event of program failure. The initial program data occupies space in the memory of the memory controller, with the result that the memory space can not be used for other purposes.